MINDEN, NEVADA (July 13, 2001)-Dana Levin of Santa Monica, California, riding Blackmail, won the $15,000 Open Jumper Prix at HITS Tahoe III in Minden, Nevada, today, out-jumping a field of 24 horses on a course designed by Danny Foster of Georgetown, Ontario, Canada. Jenni Martin of Central Point, Oregon, on Careless had the only other double-clear of the class, but missed the win by just 0.715 seconds. Levin, who is an amateur owner/rider, took home $4,500 for the win.

For Round One, Foster built a 12-jump course that included a vertical-oxer double at Fence No. 4, a vertical-vertical double at Fence No. 5, and a vertical-vertical-oxer triple combination at Fence No. 10. Time Allowed was set at 94 seconds. One horse was eliminated on course. Seven horses went clean and qualified for the jump-off.

For the tiebreaker, Foster set a six-obstacle course that asked the riders to re-jump Fences 1 and 2, and introduced jumps 13AB and 14-which had the riders jump Round One's 5AB and 8 going the opposite way. The course finished with a long gallop to 11 and 12. Time Allowed was set at 44 seconds.

First in the Jump-Off order was Dana Levin on Blackmail who set the pace with a clear round in 34.310 seconds. The next five riders chased her, and two turned in faster times, but none could clear the course. John French of Woodside, California, riding Millenium was the second rider to go and beat Levin with his time of 32.316, but he had the No. 11 Fence down for four faults and finished in third place. Next to try was Peter Breakwell of Redwood City, California, on Dekoracija. Breakwell was a member of the New Zealand show jumping team at the Sydney Olympics. On today's course he had the second element of the double down for four faults in 35.282, which placed him fifth.

Next rider up was Jenni Martin on Alcatraz 34, the first of her two rides. The duo lowered two fences for eight faults in 37.496, taking seventh place. Sarah Ballou of Grass Valley, California, on her Spanish Parade was next to go and came close to Levin with her time of 34.553, but she had No. 11 down for four faults, and placed fourth. Ashlee Bond of Hidden Hills, California, riding Pablo had the fastest jump-off time, galloping the course in 31.911, but she couldn't clear the last two fences and ended up in sixth place. Martin returned to the ring with her second ride, Careless, with whom she won this class Week I, and challenged the leader with a clear in 35.025, but the split second slower time put her in second place, earning $3,300 for owner Augustin Walch.